The Mississippi IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (MS-INBRE) has the mission to enhance biomedical research and student training across the entire state of Mississippi. Unfortunately, Mississippi suffers from the worst overall health in the nation and a historically low investment in biomedical research and training and STEM education to develop the very workforce of skilled individuals who could address these problems. The three specific aims of the MS-INBRE are designed to help reverse this trend and develop a cadre of talented and dedicated biomedical researchers, clinicians, scientists, educators, policy makers, etc. to address these issues. Aim 1: continue to build and strengthen biomedical research labs at six Partner Undergraduate Institutions (PUI; Alcorn State University, Millsaps College, Mississippi College, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University and Tougaloo College) to facilitate research and student training. Five new tenure-track hires will be added to build their research and student training capacity. Research mentors will assist them to develop research projects in Obesity, Cancer and STDs. The Bioinformatics Core will facilitate incorporation of informatics approaches into their research. Three core facilities (Imaging, Genomics, Proteomics) will be available to facilitate thi research, PUI faculty will have professional development training in grant writing, manuscript writing, etc. to help develop sustainable research and student training programs. Aim 2: develop a workforce to address the State's health issues via an efficient student pipeline into health-related careers. We will continue our highly successful undergraduate summer research intemship (MIRS, MS INBRE Research Scholars) to give students (particularly underrepresented minorities) intensive hands-on research training and health-related career counseling. Aim 3: develop a new Community Engagement and Training Core which will train students in community education, outreach, etc. which will reach the most impoverished and underserved areas in Mississippi. The MS-INBRE will enhance biomedical research today and reach into the next generation as we train the researchers, physicians, health-workers, policy-makers, etc. of the future.